Of the better ZTR's what is repair costs and number/type of breakdowns?

There was a good thread about Best ZTR's. I am also interested in the money outlay I would pay to keep the ZTR going. It sounds like Hustler, Exmark and few others are about the same quality,ride, depending on who you listen to. I just bought a 5 X 12 trailer from a guy who also has a commercial ZTR even though he only mows his huge yard. He mentioned it took 8 hours labor for the shop to remove the coil. Sounds like a tall tale to me but I have a Sears 44" rider I had before I started mowing part-time which only took me about 1-1/2 hour to replace a coil and starter.

So what things go out on your ZTR and how much for parts/labor. I read somewhere (problably on this site) that spindles are aluminum on Exmark and go out quickly compare to other ZTR steel spindles. That may wrong what I just said but you got the idea what I am looking for? I'm sure the manufactures will not supply a list of things that go wrong and prices until something does go wrong.

If you take good care of your machines, you won't have serious breakdowns too often, but , yes, stuff will wear out. I think on most of the major brands you will find parts costs will not vary all that much on similar items. Labor costs could vary a lot depending on what your repair shop charges. Some brands are pretty well known for higher costs. This will probably get me in hot water, but from my experience, I have found that John Deere, Kubota, and Toro have the highest priced parts on average. If you stick with any of the major commercial mower manufacturers, you should be ok on costs. Also, these manufacturers are likely going to be better about having good avail. of parts when you need them.

my lazer at 8 -9 yrs has had one blde drive clutch [i was learning what not to do w doubles]. not the machines fault .
one spindle also cross threaded [spindle still wked fine] my fault. seat repair ,
muffler cover replace. every thing on it works like the ones at the dealer now.
an amazing machine

On my scags the biggest thing is the hydro's going out
($300 for new hydro) and the castor arms breaking $50 to $75 depending on which one breaks. My super z has had a few minor things go out (hydro line broke) but nothing that cost more than $50.

I think that almost all ZTRs have gotten to the point where if you take care of them breakdowns will be far and few between. The question you should ask is does my dealer have the parts on hand to repair my machine if it does breakdown? If he doesn't have the parts will he give me a loaner until the parts come in?

My Lazer Z has been reliable over the past 3 years. But keep in mind that while price and repairs do matter, they're dwarfed by your labor costs, so get the most efficient machine. A quality mower will mow several thousand $30 lawns before it requires any really big repairs, so your cost per unit of production is small. Look around. The popular mowers are usually popular for a reason.

Well, I've only had my Exmark Lazer Z since October 2001....but after 310 hours its still running great. No mechanical problems, and I don't expect any. The only thing its been in the shop for is to have the recall work done on the muffler. Safety thing I guess. Worked fine before I brought it in and works the same now, just some rerouting of the exhaust pipe. I also have a 2000 Exmark Metro HP 48", not a single problem on this machine either. Get an Exmark, and don't worry about the maintenance, you just won't have alot to deal with.